Name: BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients: 1 pound elbow macaroni (or cavatappi if you’re feeling fancy); 4 tablespoons butter (the real stuff, not that diet garbage); 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 3 cups whole milk (2% works too, but whole milk makes it creamier); 1/2 cup chicken broth (adds amazing depth of flavor); 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika works but smoked is WAY better); 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but that tiny kick makes it special); Salt and pepper to taste; 3 cups shredded cheese blend (I use 2 cups sharp cheddar and 1 cup smoked gouda, but use what you love); 1/2 cup cream cheese, cubed (THE secret ingredient – makes it super creamy); 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie chicken is perfect here); 1 cup BBQ sauce (use your favorite – I like something with a little sweetness and smoke); 1 tablespoon honey (optional, but nice if your BBQ sauce isn’t sweet); 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional, but amazing if you’re using plain cooked chicken); 1 cup panko breadcrumbs; 3 tablespoons melted butter; 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried); 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 cup crispy fried onions (like French’s – TRUST ME on this one); 1 can diced green chiles (drained); 1/2 cup cooked bacon bits; 1/4 cup diced jalapeños (pickled or fresh); 1/2 cup diced red onion

Description

So I was staring into my fridge one night with some leftover BBQ chicken and thought, “what if I threw this into some mac and cheese?” Holy smokes, people. The combo of smoky, sweet BBQ chicken with creamy, cheesy pasta is straight-up ridiculous. It’s comfort food that’s been hanging out at a backyard BBQ and came back with some serious swagger. This isn’t your basic mac and cheese – this is that “everyone asks for the recipe” mac and cheese. It’s my go-to potluck dish because it ALWAYS disappears first.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Mac and Cheese Base:

1 pound elbow macaroni (or cavatappi if you’re feeling fancy)
4 tablespoons butter (the real stuff, not that diet garbage)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk (2% works too, but whole milk makes it creamier)
1/2 cup chicken broth (adds amazing depth of flavor)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika works but smoked is WAY better)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but that tiny kick makes it special)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups shredded cheese blend (I use 2 cups sharp cheddar and 1 cup smoked gouda, but use what you love)
1/2 cup cream cheese, cubed (THE secret ingredient – makes it super creamy)

For the BBQ Chicken:

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie chicken is perfect here)
1 cup BBQ sauce (use your favorite – I like something with a little sweetness and smoke)
1 tablespoon honey (optional, but nice if your BBQ sauce isn’t sweet)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional, but amazing if you’re using plain cooked chicken)

For the Crunchy Topping:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup crispy fried onions (like French’s – TRUST ME on this one)

Optional Add-ins:

1 can diced green chiles (drained)
1/2 cup cooked bacon bits
1/4 cup diced jalapeños (pickled or fresh)
1/2 cup diced red onion